Ruck_and_Roll
Senior Member
I have seen a few posts on this http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/18121-wire-location-in-roof-for-pre-wired-solar/page-2, and attempted to follow Craig's install http://www.wanderthe...mount/?p=185595 but the crux is "what to do with solar pre-wiring when you do not have an external plug with roof access?"
1. E-mail FWC for solar pre-wiring location- Unfortunately FWC was unable to provide me location based on serial and original owner but did give me an approximate location. So that was a no go.
2. Based on recommendations from this forum, I used a wire detector and found the wires going towards the push board, but not really terminating near there. I could not feel a junction box. I basically used the last know detected area and cut a small home in the fabric and then drilled about an inch hole up into the roof. Alternatively, I could have drilled from the roof but this seemed a little more risky as I could not approximate the wire location from above.
The good news was that I found the wires. They were pretty well deeply embedded in the insulation.
I could not see where the wires terminate (or if there was even a SAE plug) so I cut the wires and ran them through the hole in roof and marine sealed a junction box.
The bad news is I have a small slit in my fabric. I stuffed some insulation up there. I think I can cover it nicely with a piece of decorative wood trim placed horizontally (similar to what is vertical).
My thought is to check polarity and directly attach male/female MC4 connectors to the 10 AWG wires and then hook the panel directly to that, bypassing any need for SAE plug. I am starting with just one panel. Has anyone tried this before?
1. E-mail FWC for solar pre-wiring location- Unfortunately FWC was unable to provide me location based on serial and original owner but did give me an approximate location. So that was a no go.
2. Based on recommendations from this forum, I used a wire detector and found the wires going towards the push board, but not really terminating near there. I could not feel a junction box. I basically used the last know detected area and cut a small home in the fabric and then drilled about an inch hole up into the roof. Alternatively, I could have drilled from the roof but this seemed a little more risky as I could not approximate the wire location from above.
The good news was that I found the wires. They were pretty well deeply embedded in the insulation.
I could not see where the wires terminate (or if there was even a SAE plug) so I cut the wires and ran them through the hole in roof and marine sealed a junction box.
The bad news is I have a small slit in my fabric. I stuffed some insulation up there. I think I can cover it nicely with a piece of decorative wood trim placed horizontally (similar to what is vertical).
My thought is to check polarity and directly attach male/female MC4 connectors to the 10 AWG wires and then hook the panel directly to that, bypassing any need for SAE plug. I am starting with just one panel. Has anyone tried this before?
